§ 34. Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many retirement pensioners are now living below the poverty line as defined by his Department.
80W
§ Mr. DeanThe level of requirements below which retirement pensioners qualify for a supplementary pension is sometimes used as a basis for comparisons; but it is not defined by my Department as the poverty line. There is no firm estimate of the numbers who are entitled to 81W supplementary pension but do not claim it, but there is reason to believe that the number is now well below what it was before the introduction of the supplementary benefit scheme in 1966.